CLEARWATER, Fla. — When an 11-foot gator broke into a Clearwater home in May it quickly made national headlines. But the owner has been living with the damage ever since because of a denied insurance claim.

"They were not going to cover it because they don’t cover gators," said homeowner Mary Wischhusen. "They listed all the animals they don't cover."

Wischhusen said she filed a claim with the Florida Peninsula Insurance Company on May 31, the same day the gator broke through a large front window of her home and was found at 3:30 a.m. inside the kitchen. Clearwater Police shared video and photos of the large gator being removed that went viral.

“The reason he went in the house is he saw his face on the glass,” said Wischhusen. "It's mating season and he was in a hurry."

Besides breaking a large glass window, the gator put three holes in the kitchen drywall, took a bite out of two chairs and even dented the refrigerator. Wischhusen said she only filed a claim for the window.

“It’s already (been) six-to-seven weeks and nothing has been done,” she said. “I don’t have any money to fix it.”

Florida Peninsula sent a letter to Wischhusen that was dated on June 28, which outlined the reason the claim was denied. According to supervising adjuster Marlene Aloof the policy does not insure for loss caused by birds, vermin, rodents, marsupials, reptiles, insects or pets.

The gator falls under the reptile category.

“We’re not asking for a roof,” said Wischhusen. “We’re asking them to do one window.”

Spectrum Bay News 9 contacted Florida Peninsula and were told a manager would contact us about Wischhusen’s claim. We did not get a call back before our publishing deadline.

Wischhusen said she hopes Florida Peninsula will make an exception or she will have to rely on help from the community.

“If they won’t help me, we’ll find somebody else to help,” she said. “It’s tough.”  

Until help arrives, the homeowner will have to live with plywood covering her front window.